Some AGS games continue to thrive on casino floors, like Rakin’ Bacon and Eastern Dragon. Others seem to come and go with speed, like Cash Jolt. On the one hand, it’s nice to see new games flowing regularly, but on the other hand it means it’s hard to have them become regular favorites when they’re gone between casino trips.
I found another new AGS at one of my home casinos on a recent trip, Money Charge Boosted. The game features a Wild Multiplier Free Spins and the Money Charge Boosted Bonus, a hold and respin feature.
Landing three bonus symbols gives you a predetermined picking feature that either reveals the Wild Multiplier Free Spins or the Money Charge Boosted Bonus.
The Wild Multiplier Free Spins starts with two reels spinning, one that corresponds to the number of free games you’ll be awarded, and the other that corresponds to the multiplier you’ll get when a wild is incorporated into a line hit. You can get 6, 9, 12 or 15 games, and x2, x3, x5 or x8, so the best outcome is 15 games with a x8 wild multiplier. You do have the ability to get more than one wild in a single spin, so there’s always the chance of a bigger multiplier by that happening.
The Money Charge Boosted Bonus features a bit of a unique aspect in that if a boost orb appears, it boosts all prizes horizontally and vertically from the space it’s in. That orb also resets the remaining spins to 3, even though it doesn’t stick around in its space afterwards, so you can get multiple boosts and have more chances to land numbers.
The Mini and Minor are flat jackpots, which like Lightning Link seem to simply replace a number on the reels vs. have any specific meaning, so it’s not something to get excited about (other than you’re winning money of course).
I got a number of features during my session, and doubled up pretty quickly. Like many other AGS games there’s some volatility involved, but if it swings your way it can pay, and it didn’t feel crazy hard to get a bonus; players on either side of me got a good number of them as well.
One final note: Like many game series there’s two themes, but from what I saw they were either identical or near identical, especially with the Money Charge Boosted Bonus.
Money Charge Boosted Slot Videos
Sonny California featured the game in this video, which has a good collection of free spins and the boosted bonuses:
KURI Slot featured the game as part of the Max 30ies, which is 30 spins taken at the game’s max bet:
Buffalo is one of the most venerable and popular slot machine series on the casino floor. Since the original game hit the casino floor, a variety of sequels and brand extensions have followed, all with some basics remaining the same throughout the series.
This post is a roll-up of the various Buffalo topics I’ve written about over the years, broken into game write-ups, deep-dive questions and Slot Moments. Even with all the content that follows, there are Buffalo games I’ve yet to write about, although I’m sure I will at some point.
Games in the Buffalo Series
Let’s start by looking at the games I’ve written up as part of the Buffalo slot machine series.
Buffalo
Even over a decade old, the original still holds up remarkably well, which explains why the game is still found on casino floors across the country. This is the starting point and basis for the various brand extensions and sequels that would follow, but on its own, Buffalo remains a fun game.
Cash Express Gold Class Buffalo
Moreso a feature add-on than an outright sequel, Cash Express Gold Class Buffalo was one example of a feature and a game that would become more intertwined with time, as the Cash Express Luxury Line series would provide.
Buffalo Gold
Out of all the Buffalo games that have come around over the years, Buffalo Gold is perhaps the perfect sequel, thanks to the specific enhancements this version adds to make the original game even more exciting. It did so well that Buffalo Gold itself has received its own sequels.
Buffalo Gold Revolution
If Buffalo Gold is the perfect sequel, Buffalo Gold Revolution is perhaps the perfect sequel’s sequel. It enhances just the right things and adds a bit more to the gameplay, keeping the momentum of this series of games going strong.
Buffalo Gold Max Power
The latest Buffalo Gold sequel, Buffalo Gold Max Power adds in the twist of variable sized reels, which can change each spin, yielding more or less ways to win. This adds newfound volatility to an already volatile series, and adds a sixth reel for potentially larger pays in the process.
Buffalo Diamond
With progressive free games that have an open-ended up side, there’s a huge amount of potential for Buffalo Diamond, but it can also be very punishing.
Buffalo Chief
Buffalo Chief takes a page from Buffalo Gold’s element of upgrading the reels, but adds more volatility in the process with a bigger reel set and a wheel to determine how many additional white buffalo heads will be added.
Buffalo Link
This game combines the link mechanic, very popular with Aristocrat itself, with the Buffalo theming and structure, and just to up the volatility even more adds a wild on reel 5 with the chances to now multiply wins by 81 vs. 27. Buffalo Link definitely has potential, but can also be a brutal game when it’s not paying.
Wild Wild Buffalo
Wild Wild Buffalo is another example of Aristocrat combining a popular mechanic, the Wild Wild series, with the Buffalo theming and ruleset, and blending in the jackpot wheel element from Buffalo Grand. It’s another toughie, but can be quite the fun ride when it’s in a generous mood.
Deeper Slot Tutorial Dives
Here’s a couple of posts that look a bit deeper into the design of games like those in the Buffalo series.
Can You Get a Full Screen of Buffalo on the Aristocrat Game?
With the diversity of games in the roster, there’s not a completely one-size-fits-all answer, but in the case of many of them, the answer is actually no. Here’s why!
Does Getting 4 or 5 Bonus Symbols Mean a Bad Bonus is Certain to Follow
On some games, getting 4 or 5 bonus symbols makes players feel like a bad bonus is going to follow. On the Buffalo games, getting more coins means more spins, and on games like Buffalo Gold, more games can be a critical difference in payouts thanks to the ability to collect more buffalo heads and more retriggers.
Slot Moments on the Buffalo Series
Aristocrat makes all sorts of games that can yield to outlandish wins even on nominal bets, but the Buffalo series has more than its share of epic wins. Here’s examples I’ve highlighted in the Slot Moments series.
Slotaholic Gets 15 Gold Buffalo Heads
The first Buffalo Gold video I highlighted in the Slot Moments series, Slotaholic’s 15 gold buffalo heads was a pretty phenomenal example of what’s possible on the game. It certainly wouldn’t be the last.
Neily 777 Lands the Grand on Buffalo Extreme
Buffalo Extreme is a Class II game, so I have never been able to personally find it and play it, but Neily 777’s grand on the game, which has its ties to other games in the Buffalo series, shows off the unexpected and the awesome in one shot.
250 Buffalo Chief Symbols Leads to a 1000x Jackpot Handpay
If you get 10 upgraded coins on Buffalo Chief, you get all 250 Buffalo Chief symbols added to the reels, which amps up the payback opportunity. This slot moment shows what can happen when you make that possibility a reality.
Buffalo Gold 15 Head Handpay for Under $1
Here’s another 15 gold buffalo head outcome, but this time the wager is under $1, and yet again it’s another knockout outcome.
A Super Win on Wild Wild Buffalo Slot Machine for Neily 777
Neily 777 has always done well on the Wild Wild game series, so it’s not surprising that he had a strong outcome playing Wild Wild Buffalo.
Over 1000x Buffalo Gold Jackpot Handpay on Wonder 4 Tall Fortunes
Various Buffalo games have been integrated into other Aristocrat endeavors as well, such as the Wonder 4 series of games, with four boards present and the ability to select games. Buffalo Gold is on Wonder 4 Tall Fortunes, and this more than 1,000x win is a great example of what’s possible.
Slot Cats See Live Lengthy Run on Buffalo Link Machine
The Buffalo series is one that’s predisposed to lots of retriggers. It’s one of the things that makes the games fun. So The Slot Cats having a lengthy run live on Buffalo Link shows how you can get a lot of play time without having to wager.
Chico Scores 2800x Win on Buffalo Gold
If you needed more evidence as to what was possible with Buffalo Gold, check out Chico’s 2,800x win on the game in this slot moment.
Slot Queen Goes from Wager Saver to the Major on Buffalo Link
Here’s an epic turnaround courtesy of Slot Queen, who went from a wager saver to winning the Major progressive on Buffalo Link.
Buffalo Max Bonus Handpay on $4 Bet
Buffalo Max takes the base Buffalo game and adds on upgrades when players bet higher. All Casino Action’s Sarah took a $4 bet to a handpay as part of a Buffalo Max bonus.
Slot Queen Finally Achieves 15 Heads on Buffalo Gold with Wonder 4
Buffalo Gold and Wonder 4 strike again, this time with Slot Queen, who got 15 gold buffalo heads and an epic win on the Wonder 4 Boost Gold version of the series.
First Handpay Live for Brian Christopher, On a $3 Buffalo Gold Bet
It took Brian Christopher quite awhile to secure his first live handpay during a live stream, and based on the list of slot moments here, I’m sure it’s not surprising to learn it was on Buffalo Gold at a $3 bet.
I recently got some time on a number of new Everi games. One of them was Star Wild Olympus, one of two themes in the Star Wild game series, which features wilds with multipliers, a frenzy mode and a free games feature with expanding reels.
This game’s got a lot going on, which may make it a bit complex for some, but once it’s broken down it’s not necessarily complex, it just helps to know what’s happening. So let’s break things down a bit.
The Basics of Star Wild Olympus
The diversity of the game starts with the bet panel. This is one of the first games I’ve seen from Everi with a distinct more/better type of bet. The game’s name sake is the star wilds, which fly over the reels. When a star lands it can award a multiplier or a jackpot.
The range of multipliers available, however, depend on your bet. The top row, which is a lower bet increment, offers 2x and 3x multipliers. The bottom row, the Super Star Wild bet options, make accessible 3x, 4x and 6x multipliers.
The multiplier or jackpot is only awarded if the star is directly inclusive in a line hit. The game is an all ways pays game, so only the ways in which the multiplier is directly involved.
More than one multiplier can land and be awarded on a given spin; they multiply together. So a 3x and a 4x makes a 12x total multiplier.
Clearly, the Star Wilds are a volatility element in this case, and the higher bets for higher multipliers amps that up. The same goes for clumped symbols in an all ways pays configuration – there’s definitely some money in the line hits.
Star Frenzy Bonus
This is another of Everi’s timed event bonuses. It is triggered by landing the Star Frenzy symbol on reel 5.
During the Star Frenzy bonus, star wilds are on the reels more frequently. The counter starts at 60 seconds, but if Star Frenzy lands on reel 5 again, the counter resets back to 60 seconds and continues. If Free Spins are awarded during the Star Frenzy bonus, the Star Frenzy bonus concludes immediately and goes into the Free Spins.
Free Spin Bonu
Getting the bonus symbol on reels 1, 3 and 5 trigger the free spins bonus. Six free spins are awarded. You can retrigger with two symbols for three more spins, or three symbols for six more spins, up to a maximum of 18 free spins.
Expanding reels are active on each game of the free spins, with reels 1 and 5 being able to expand up to 5 spaces tall, and reels 2, 3 and 4 being able to expand up to seven spaces tall.
Given this is an all ways pays game, it improves the ability for things to line up, and for star wilds to land. Jackpots don’t appear on the star wilds during the bonus, and Jackpot Wheel and Star Frenzy cannot be triggered during the free spins either.
Jackpot Wheel Bonus
Aside from appearing on the stars, the Jackpot Wheel feature can be triggered anytime a Star Wild symbol appears, as long as the spin doesn’t trigger Free Games or Star Frenzy mode, or are in the middle of either of those features.
There are two rings on the wheel. An outer ring spins among the jackpots available. The inner section starts with three Award and three Upgrade wedges. If it lands on Award, it will pay the tier that the outer ring lands on. If it lands on Upgrade, the wedge selected and all wedges beneath it are removed, leaving the higher prizes.
The Upgrade wedge converts to an Award wedge; as such, up to three upgrades are possible before a prize must be awarded (meaning four total wheel spins). If the wheel lands on Grand, it cannot be upgraded and will instead simply be awarded as that’s the top progressive.
Prefer a Picking Bonus?
The sister Star Wild game, Star Wild Egypt, skips the wheel for a more traditional picking bonus, so if that’s more your speed, look for its sister game. The picking bonus works identically to the Smokin’ Hot Stuff Wicked Wheel bonus, complete with the ability to remove up to the three smallest progressives. It’s also predetermined.
Jackpots and Progressives
The jackpots and progressives, six in all, can be awarded either on the stars or in a jackpot award feature that can happen anytime a Star Wild symbol appears and a Free Spins or Star Frenzy is not triggered (or the game is in the middle of either of those features).
There are only two actual progressives that are available at all bet levels; the other four are flat jackpot prizes proportional to bet, that do not get multiplied in any sense by Star Wilds and so on.
The Coin Bowl and Lightning Wings accumulators are just for show; per the pay table, they do not indicate that a jackpot or progressive is due to hit. The odds of winning jackpots do increase by bet level.
Conclusion
Like other recent Everi games like Cashnado and Gold Hills, there’s a lot going on here, which keeps things active for players. The more/better bet adds a different wrinkle, and the game play is diverse thanks to the expanding reels on the free spins and the star frenzy mode. The game’s worth a go given the potential there for some good wins!
